Czechs to Halt Migrant Relocations, EU Displeased

As reported by Reuters news agency, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is urging the Czech Republic to reconsider its decision to stop accepting migrants under an EU scheme to share asylum seekers who arrived in Greece and Italy. The Czech Republic took in 12 people out of its quota of 2,691 under the scheme to relocate 160,000 migrants. The government, which faces an election in October with the majority of the electorate opposed to accepting migrants, agreed on Monday to suspend the program entirely.

In a speech at Prague’s Charles University, EU President Juncker said, “I was very displeased to read in the press that the Czech government is considering to halt relocations entirely. I sincerely hope that, as in so many other cases, European reason, spirit and values will prevail and that the Czech government will reconsider its course so that we do not have to resort to legal infringement procedures, (which) we will do if nothing changes.” The Czech government cited security concerns and the scheme’s failure to function properly.